For today's enterprise, Secure Socket Layer (SSL) security is important, but is becoming more difficult to manage. With network infrastructure that spans multiple groups of servers, organization units, and locations, managing SSL certificates can be a complex, time-consuming process that burdens information technology (IT) teams and puts a drain on resources.
SSL certificates within the enterprise are frequently at odds with official policies and procedures put in place to administer SSL security. In some cases, older SSL certificates may conflict with new policies, or customized exceptions are made to meet unique business requirements. In addition, employees and business unit representatives may lack the knowledge to be aided by policies created by their companies. All of these factors create variance across the enterprise, complicating the overall management of SSL security.
Regardless of the cause, any uncertainty surrounding SSL certificates status poses a risk that can have serious consequences. The expiration of an unknown certificate, a missed renewal, or update—or keeping expired certificates on an asset—can create security vulnerabilities, leaving enterprise networks exposed and potentially resulting in critical system downtime. If a data breach occurs, the costs of mitigating the damage can be expensive: enterprises can face higher support costs, lower productivity and revenue, and even damage to their hard-earned reputations.